Oatmeal Apple-Pecan Breakfast Cake

This is going to be our new Christmas morning breakfast tradition, it's that good and that easy.

This apple-pecan breakfast cake was absolutely delicious and with zero added sugar! Toasting the oats and pecans really add a wonderful old-fashion home-made quality. The baked apples were sweet and perfect.

 My 5 year old comedian Jack said "This apple cake tastes just like heaven!" ;)

Toasted Whole Grain Oats ( We love Coach's Oats brand)

Can you see the difference between these whole grain oats and 'quick oats'?

Simple

You Will Need:

1 cup toasted pecans

2-3 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped

1 cup whole-wheat (whole grain) flour

1 cup oat flour + 1 TBSP for sprinkling on top (I toast Coach's Oats in oven and grind in food processor)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup flax meal

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon  + 1 tsp for sprinkling on top

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup Earth Balance (or butter), melted

1/2 cup pure maple syrup + 1 tbsp

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce





Directions:
Toast oats and pecans (separately) in 400F oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven. Grind oats into flour using a mill or food processor.
Turn oven down to 350F. Peel and chop the apples. Grease a small casserole dish and then spread 1 tbsp of maple syrup on the bottom of dish. Now, spread a layer of chopped apples followed by a layer of pecans on the bottom of dish. Use just less than half of both the apples and pecans.

In a large bowl, mix the following dry ingredients (whole wheat pastry flour, Oat flour, baking powder, kosher salt, cinnamon).  In a small bowl mix the wet ingredients (applesauce, 1/2 cup maple syrup, vanilla, and 1/4 cup melted Earth Balance (or butter). Mix. If to dry, add a couple tablespoons of water.

Add the wet to the dry and mix well. Now spread on a layer of this batter over top of the apples and pecans. Use about half of the batter.

Now spread a layer of apples and pecans again, making sure to leave at least 2-3 tbsp of each for the top of the cake. Follow this by a final layer of the cake batter (use all of it up). Spread as evenly as possible.

Now sprinkle on the remaining apples and pecans. Mix a bit of oats with tsp of cinnamon and sprinkle all over top. Place in the oven for 55 mins at 350F. Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

recipe adapted from Oh She Glows!

I'm sending this over to Hearth 'n Soul and also Bella Vita Blog Hop's!

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Fight the Holiday Fat ~ Delicious Snacks and Light Meals! ~ All about Beets

So who got through Thanksgiving without stuffing themselves silly?  * hangs head in shame...

I pep talked myself till I was sick of hearing the sound of my own voice but managed to fill my plate and go back for seconds when it came down to it. That wouldn't be so bad except that while we are extremely lucky in that we have lots of family close by, it also means we have 2 or 3 T-Day dinners and are sent home with left over rolls and pies galore! Even my 5 year old, Jack exclaimed as we made our way to Papa and Nanna's for our 3rd ( his 4th including his Kindergarten feast) holiday party "Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving! Is it ever going to end!" 

 It's o.k., I'm not complaining really I just need to nip it in the bud and stick to a mostly

Raw veggie/fruit and whole grains and legume diet so I will still fit into my jeans after Christmas!

Here are some of my favorite low-calorie, vitamin rich snacks and light meals.

Simple Chilled Gazpacho      Gorgonzola and Pecan Stuffed Figs

Spicy Broccoli Quinoa    Grapefruit Quinoa Salad    Thai Garden Veggie Wraps with Peanut Sauce

Grilled Rosemary Salmon over Lentils Rustico

Last week I was at the grocery store with my 4 year old, Nolan and he pointed to some bunches of Organic beets and said "What's that?" I realized that we have only ever had pickled beets in our salads and immediately picked up a bunch of beets to take home with us.

Simple Beet and Orange Salad

To Make Salad:

In a medium sauce pan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Trim and wash beets, no need to peel. Cut them into 2 inch pieces to cut down on cooking time! Boil gently for 30-40 minutes until fork pierces them easily.

Remove, let cool. Skins should slide off very easily now.  Toss cooled beets with orange segments and squeeze some orange juice over top. Fresh mint would be lovely tossed in with this salad!

I hope you take the time to read through these amazing health benefits of beets!

NUTRITION:

Beets are surprisingly sweet and mild tasting and make an excellent snack with oranges and in salads.

They are super easy to prepare and are a vitamin mega veggie with very high levels of A, B1, B2, B6 and C!

While the sweet beet root has some of the minerals in its greens to a lesser degree, it is also a remarkable source of choline, folic acid, iodine, manganese, organic sodium, potassium, fiber and carbohydrates in the form of natural digestible sugars.

The beets belong to the same family as chard and spinach. Beet leaves have a bitter taste like chard, but are rich in chlorophyll and higher in iron than spinach! Although bitter, the greens have a higher nutritional value than its roots. The greens have high levels of calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, sodium and iron.

Both beet root and beet greens are very powerful cleansers and builders of the blood.

 HEALTH BENEFITS:

Beets have long been known for its amazing health benefits for almost every part of the body.

• Acidosis: Its alkalinity is essential and effective in combating acidosis.

• Anemia: The high content of iron in beets regenerates and reactivates the red blood cells and supplies fresh oxygen to the body. The copper content in beets help make the iron more available to the body. A great blood builder.

• Atherosclerosis: This wonderful crimson juice is a powerful solvent for inorganic calcium deposits that cause the arteries to harden.

• Blood pressure: All its healing and medicinal values effectively normalizes blood pressure, lowering high blood pressure or elevating low blood pressure.

• Cancer: Betaine, an amino acid in beet root, has significant anti-cancer properties. Studies show that beets juice inhibits formation of cancer-causing compounds and is protective against colon or stomach cancer.

• Constipation: The cellulose content helps to ease bowel movements. Drinking beets juice regularly will help relieve chronic constipation.

• Detoxification: The choline from this wonderful juice detoxifies not only the liver, but also the entire system of excessive alcohol abuse, provided consumption is ceased.

• Gastric ulcer: Mix honey with your beets juice and drink two or three times a week on an empty stomach (more frequently if your body is familiar with beets juice). It helps speed up the healing process.

• Gall bladder and kidney ailments: Coupled with carrot juice, the superb cleansing virtues are exceptional for curing ailments relating to these two organs.

Choosing and Storing Beets: Choose beet roots that are firm and unwrinkled. With the greens attached, beets can keep for only three to four days in the fridge as the root has to supply moisture to the leaves. Without the greens attached, beet root can keep for a couple of weeks.

Beets with round bottoms are sweeter than flat-bottomed ones. Eat beets fresh to enjoy its flavor better. Do not overheat beets when cooking as heat destroys all the essential nutrients. Remove the skin before cooking.

 HOW CAN YOU GET MORE BEETS INTO YOUR DIET?

1. Boil, steam or pickle them and add them to salads.


2. Eat them with a variety of fruits and veggies, they are sweet all by themselves!


3. Juice them or blend them with other fruits or veggies for an amazing detox!

A Word of Caution!

Individuals with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones should limit their consumption of beets.

As beetroot juice is very potent, do not consume too much, especially if your body is not yet accustomed to it. For a beginner, start with the juice of half a medium-sized beetroot once a week, slowly increasing to one whole beetroot a week.

This delicious juice is so potent that it may cause some dizziness during cleansing as toxins are being eliminated. This process may cause some discomfort but there is nothing to be alarmed about. During this time, drink plenty water also to flush out the toxic materials.

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Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream with Gingersnap Crust Sprinkles

This simple and healthy ice cream is dairy free, super low in sugar and takes about 2 minutes to blend up ~ no churner needed. It is completely adaptable to your tastes by adding extras of your choice, chocolate chunk pumpkin ice cream anyone???

This month on Recipe Redux we are talking about Food Memories. It's funny how certain smells and tastes can sometimes have such an amazing affect on us. For me it's roasted, sugared pecans, freshly squeezed lemon aid, home made tapioca pudding and pumpkin. Those foods will always instantly transport me to my childhood. 

The winter Holiday's mean different things to different people depending on your life circumstances, where you grew up and what your traditions were. I grew up in the 80's and 90's in a close knit, middle class neighborhood with 2 younger sisters and a brother. No extended family lived nearby so Holidays were usually a small affair except for when we drove up to Salt Lake City to have a huge Thanksgiving at my grandma and grandpa's home. Fond times. 

Slightly sweet and very creamy this pumpkin pie ice cream brings fall flavors to the table without having to unbuckle your belt (or put on your mommy yoga pants) afterwards. 

What I remember most about our family of six's Thanksgiving is the home made pumpkin pie with freshly whipped cream. The smell is what always got me and while I am not a pumpkin pie lover, the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin is very nostalgic for me. 

Wait. Wuuuuut?  'You don't like pumpkin pie?!' you say.

Nope. Or most any pie for that matter except maybe cherry and apple. But I'd rather have it as a cobbler than a pie. As for the pumpkin pie aversion, I think it's a texture thing, too thick and mushy. I do however l.o.v.e. pumpkin. Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin eggnog custard,  pumpkin granola, pumpkin cinnamon rolls and even pumpkin stew. All of that, but my newest obsession is 

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream. 

Holy raving nostalgic overload with a surprising twist factor. 

nostalgia |näˈstaljə, nə-|

noun

a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations















































HANDS ON TIME     2 MINUTES         TOTAL TIME 4 HOURS           YIELDS    4 CUPS 

Ingredients
2 cups canned or cooked pumpkin1 can of coconut milk or plain, fat free yogurt3-4 bananas, chopped and frozen1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix1 teaspoon real vanilla (I sometimes use bourbon vanilla ;)1 cup crushed gingersnap cookiesOptional additionschocolate chipsnutscaramel drizzlecrushed graham crackers
In your blender place coconut milk, pumpkin, bananas, spices and vanilla. Blend on your frozen dessert setting (or on high) for 2 minutes. Pour mixture into a bread pan and place in freezer. Freeze for  3-5 hours depending on the 'frozeness' of your bananas, your freezer temperature and what size pan you use to freeze it in. 

An InLinkz Link-up

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Pumpkin-Cranberry Streusel Muffins

I've officially discovered the world's best muffin. Don't be jealous, I'm posting the recipe right here for you to try. ;) I took a basic recipe for pumpkin muffins and cut out most of the fat and a lot of the sugar and then  added delicious, All Natural flavors and Whole Grains. Oh if only you could smell my house right now!

Don't forget to stop by my previous post for Stuffed Acorn Squash and leave your favorite healthy Fall recipe! I'ts quick and easy and a great way to share all of the healthy recipes out there with others!

You Will Need:

1 cup *Whole Grain Flour    (see below for options)

1 cup Oat flour

2 tablespoons flax meal mixed in 1/4 cup tepid water

1/4 cup Wheat Germ 

1 cup light brown sugar + 2 tablespoons for topping

1 cup *pumpkin puree

1 cup fresh cranberries + 1/4 cup chopped for topping

1 cup walnuts chopped + 1/4 cup for topping

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice OR 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/4 t ground ginger, 1/8 t allspice, 1/8 t nutmeg




Putting it all Together:

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Prepare muffin pan by lightly rubbing Crisco on the inside of the tins and then lightly dusting flour over the inside of tins. * Crisco doesn't absorb into the batter like butter, oil or baking spray's.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat oil, applesauce and sugar. Add egg, beat until well combined. Add pumpkin beat 2 more minutes. Add dry ingredients half at a time. Mix to combine. Fold in cranberries and nuts, don't over mix.

Spoon batter into muffin tins almost to top. In a small bowl combine chopped cranberries, chopped walnuts and brown sugar. Sprinkle onto top of muffins. Bake at 400F for 20-23 minutes until toothpick comes out dry. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

 * Important Health Note on Whole Grains

Whole grains are cereal grains that contain germ, endosperm, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Whole grains can generally be sprouted while refined grains generally will not sprout. Wholemeal products are made by grinding whole grains in order to make wholegrain flour. Whole grains are a natural source of protein as well as a source of carbohydrates and are made into many different kinds of foods.

Wholegrain products can be identified by the ingredients list. Typically, if the ingredient lists "wholewheat," "wholemeal," or "whole corn" as the first ingredient, the product is a wholegrain food item. On the other hand, terms such as "enriched" and "bromated," among others, could indicate that the food lacks wholegrain. Whole grains are healthier than their enriched counterparts.[citation needed]



*** "Wheat flour" (as opposed to "wholegrain wheat flour" or "wholewheat flour") as the first ingredient is not a clear indicator of the product's wholegrain content. If two ingredients are listed as grain products but only the second is listed as wholegrain, the entire product may contain between 1% and 49% whole grain.[1] Many breads are colored brown (often with molasses) and made to look like wholegrain, but are not. In addition, some food manufacturers make foods with whole-grain ingredients, but, because whole-grain ingredients are not the dominant ingredient, they are not wholegrain products. Contrary to popular belief, fiber is not indicative of whole grains. The amount of fiber varies from grain to grain, and some products may have things like bran, peas, or other foods added to boost the fiber content

* Common whole grains include:

Wheat

Oat

Barley - Hulled and Dehulled (not Pearl)

Maize

Brown rice

Farro

Emmer

Einkorn

Rye

Spelt

Millet

Quinoa

Amaranth

Triticale

Teff

Sprouted Grains

 
 
 

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Simple Chilled Gazpacho! "Give a Kid a Straw!"

This is part of a 'new' series I've been thinking about ever since I wrote the post about "Bok Choy Stir Fry with Asian Marinated Tofu" and got my kids to eat it by giving them cute hand painted chop sticks ~

" Give a Kid Some Chop Sticks"

All I have to do is give my kids a straw and they will drink anything! If your kids are new to veggie juices/monster smoothies etc. try putting it in a solid color cup with a straw. Maybe even a Starbucks cup or something they think is cool!

This is another habit I've gotten from my health nut mom. One of those things I wrinkled my nose at initially, but now can't live without.  I've never been a big breakfast eater, which I'm sure you've all heard is not good for you. So I used to drag around here in the morning for a couple of hours before I really woke up and felt like I had any energy. Four cups of coffee later I would start to wake up but still felt blah! Now, I wake up, have a glass of cold water which kicks your metabolism into gear and yes,  I still have a cup of coffee while I get the kids fed and ready for the day but then I whip up a glass of gazpacho for my breakfast! Chilled gazpacho in the morning gets ya movin and groovin!

This is a powerhouse of vitamins and protein! So many good things for you in this zesty little glass of juice. Some of you may still be thinking, 'Gazpacho for breakfast, I don't think so.' and that's o.k. I was stubborn too once, you'll come around if you know what's good for you! I started having this for an early lunch then once I realized how yummy it was and how good it made me feel I started drinking it for breakfast, not first thing but after my coffee... first things first.

Why in the morning you ask?  After sleeping all night your metabolism and GI system are in sleeping mode and you are essentially starting fresh. The worst thing you can do is wake up and have something that is going to raise your glycimic index quickly. Most cereal's are culprits as are muffins, breakfast sandwiches, juices and some fruits. It's best to eat something Raw before every single meal do help with digestion and stabilize the glycimic index, which really helps with weight loss.

Really, you could throw any veggies you like into this. The base should be a Low-Sodium, preferably organic veggie juice. I love R.W. Knudsen brand, 'Very Veggie'  It has wonderful ingredients and no additives!

      
MAKES  6 CUPS (48 OZ. )   ABOUT 4 SERVINGS

At the very least, this is what I throw into the blender:

2 tablespoons Hemp Seeds ( put in first to keep them from flying all over the blender and sticking to sides)

1/2 small head of cabbage, cut into chunks

celery

1 clove garlic, smashed and cut into small pieces

2 cups ( 16 oz.) Veggie Juice ~ low-sodium! preferably organic and in a glass jar ( not plastic or a can)

* other ideas: purple onion ( this is when my 5 year old won't drink it, but I like it)
spinach, kale etc. carrots or beets to make it sweeter, flax seeds etc.

Shelled Hemp seeds are an excellent source of protein at 11 grams per serving,

Omega 3's, and all 10 essential Amino Acids!

Did you know garlic lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol, has cardiovascular and respiratory benefits? Garlic also aids in digestion, is an antioxidant, anti-viral and anti-bacterial super hero?

I Love my new Ninja blender! Blends up the smoothest gazpacho I've ever had! *booo Cuisinart...

I didn't think you'd believe me so here's the proof,  my kids really L.O.V.E Gazpacho!
This is also part of a new series I've been thinking about " Give a kid some [chopsticks] ". Basically, tips, tricks and games to get your kids excited about eating new and healthy foods.
So this would be, " Give a Kid a Straw"  and they'll even drink gazpacho!

 Going, going.....

Gone! 

 Seriously, she didn't even take her mouth off of the straw and sucked down the whole glass!

Nolan gives his thumbs up of approval!

Jack (not pictured) who is 5 years old and my 'picky eater' is hit or miss with gazpacho. Some days he'll drink it, other days he won't.

I am submitting this to Kahakai Kitchen for her 'Souper Sunday's event! Stop by for the love of soup!

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Banana Coconut Cookies GF

I have been baking a lot more than usual now that I've figured out how to make these healthy cookies that actually taste wonderful! My kids don't know what got into me and think they are being quite spoiled. Oh tricky me.  I made these gluten free just because I'm trying to really limit processed/refined flour which contains zero nutrients and basically turns into sugar in your body. I also used Agave nectar which has contradicting nutritional benefits vs. honey but no firm data. I think moderation is the key here. I also use organic raw sugar, honey or *organic maple syrup when I bake.    

* formaldehyde is sometimes used to extract the maple syrup from trees, best to stick with organic as often as possible.

The fact that these cookies are gluten free makes the texture lighter and slightly crumblier than other cookies but they were very moist and delicious, almost cake like, YUM! Honestly, put these babies in a bowl and eat with a spoon, maybe dollop some yogurt on top and you have a perfect, healthy dessert.

You will need:

2 tablespoons flax meal + 2 tablespoons water ( OR 1 egg)
1 1/2 cup Oats
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup coconut flour ( could also use almond flour/meal, garbanzo flour, ground millet or quinoa )
1 teaspoon guar gum   *optional, but it helps hold the cookies together and also is a pre biotic
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 cup dried, organic apricots, chopped    * regular dried apricots get their pretty orange color from sulfates
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
3/4 cup Agave Nectar
2 slightly mushed bananas

*optional add-ins:  chopped nuts, chocolate or carob chips, raisins.
 Carob is similar taste to chocolate but is naturally sweetened unlike chocolate (unless you get unsweetened chocolate which is bitter) which gets it's sweetness from added sugar. Carob also has more vitamins than chocolate and is a good source of calcium.



Putting it all together:


Preheat oven to 375F
I threw everything into my KitchenAid mixer, banana last so it stayed slightly chunky and mixed till just combined. I ended up adding 1/4 cup water to better combine the ingredients. It probably depends on various factors so add it if you need to.
Either pour batter into a cookie pan or shape into cookies. Bake at 375F for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.

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Simply Healthy Family's Favorite Fall Recipe Roundup {say that 10 timesfast!}

Here's what's happening right now. I decided to stop blogging because

a.)   I keep comparing myself to other bloggers even though I firmly believe in not comparing myself to anyone, ever and therefor am making myself depressed, crazy and then just plain pissed followed by a general annoyance for no good reason. (I do however believe in random, run-on-sentences) and

b.)   I've become overwhelmingly consumed by guilt from spending too much time on the computer editing, writing and researching for my blog and not enough time with my children. No matter how many times I tell myself that a little bit of "me time" is a good thing I still feel guilty every time I'm sitting here and the kids are running around the house like banshees.


Then,  I had a day off, the weather dropped  20+ degrees into down right awesome here in Phoenix, I had a nap, then a glass or two of wine and  got over myself.  Onward and upward,  all things in moderation et cetera, et cetera.......




Lastly and coincidently, my 3 younger children have been playing very nicely together for 4 hours straight. No one is under the influence of medication or bribery, no one has incidentally knocked out someones tooth and no one has cried, died or gotten on anyone's nerves for FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT.  I'm going to go with my positive self and not think about the calm before the storm that will hit full force right around bedtime. Happy thoughts.





So in an effort to remind myself why I do what I do in this silly blogging world I compiled my very favorite Fall Foods to share with you. I usually don't do 'round ups' but looking through my favorite recipes and flavors, Fall is always on the top of the list. Every time.

I hope you stick with me and more importantly have tried or at least saved a recipe or two from my humble little place here. Any thoughts or suggestions are always appreciated. What would you like to see more of here at Simply Healthy Family? What are your favorite Fall foods? Do you ever experience "Mom Guilt"? How do you cope?

Fall Favorites from Simply Healthy Family

for football parties, fall picnics and fire pit gatherings. 

Apple Cider and Pomegranate Popsicles

Cast Iron Skillet Green Chili, Buttermilk Corn Bread

Chipotle en Adobo Butternut Squash Lasagna

Chipotle and Cheddar Cheese Cauliflower Poppers

Baked Buffalo Cauliflower with Home Made Blu Cheese Dressing.

Vegetarian Stuffed Poblano Chilies with Ancho Guajillo Sauce

Pumpkin Egg Nog Custard {sugar free}

Pumpkin, Chick Pea and Red Lentil Stew 

South Western Style Spaghetti Squash with Chorizo and Peppers

Roasted, Buttered Spagetti Squash with Two Bean Croquettes

Sweet and Smokey Slow Cooked Garbanzo Beans on Home Made Flax Seed Crepes

Healthy Almond-Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Melted Chocolate

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